The 6th Amendment: Your right to a criminal defense attorney

You may remember learning about the Bill of Rights when you were in elementary school, but how much knowledge have you retained about each amendment individually? The answer is probably not much. Everyone remembers Amendment 1, Freedom of Speech but more importantly can you recall Amendment Six? Amendment Six is the right to have an attorney present at trial. And our forefather created this amendment for a reason.

When you are arrested for a crime, you have three options for council while you are being prosecuted. You can either represent yourself, be assigned a public defender, or hire a Long Island criminal lawyer.

Defendants opt to represent themselves in the court of law for various reasons. Sometimes they don’t feel like paying for a lawyer because the consequences of their crime aren’t worth the legal fees. Or sometimes they plan on pleading guilty and find a lawyer useless. But if you are being charged with a serious crime against you then representing yourself may not be a good idea. How much do you know about criminal court and its procedures? How much do you know about other outcomes in your type of criminal case? Do you know which documents and paperwork you need for your trial? If you are unsure of these things hiring a criminal attorney might be the right step for you.

Based on the decision of the US Supreme Court Case Gideon v Wainwright if you cannot afford a lawyer one shall be appointed to you. If this is the case then you will be receiving a public defender. The qualifications to be awarded a public defender vary from state to state, but generally you have to prove that you do not make enough income to afford a criminal defense attorney. And although this seems like a cost affective solution to representation at trial it has its disadvantages. Public defenders are assigned hundreds of cases at once and don’t have the time and resources to work specifically with you on your case. You may not even hear or see them until the day of your trial. Therefore you might not be getting the best legal advice.

If you are arrested for a crime the only option that ensures you get the best legal outcome is hiring a criminal defense attorney. A criminal defense lawyer specializes in various crimes and knows how to come up with the best defense strategy. They will launch their own private investigation separate from that of the courts. Also since private criminal defense lawyers take on fewer cases there will be more communication between you and the lawyer so you will know what is going on every step of the way.

If you have an impending court date and want to exercise your 6^th Amendment right, then contact a criminal defense lawyer immediately. A long island criminal attorney will help you get the results you deserve.